Improvement in harvesters



UNITED* STATES PATENT OEEroE LEANDER J. MOUORMIGK AND LAMBERT ERPELDING, OF CHIGAG O, ILLINOIS; SAID FRPELDING ASSIGNS HIS RIGHT TO SAID MOCORMICK.

IMPRCVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Sjraeoijicatioa forming part of Letters Potent No. 61,228, dated January l5, 1867.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, LEANDER J. McCon- MloK and LAMBERT ERPELDING,bOth of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, and in which- Figure l represents a plan or top view of a harvester embracing our improvement. Fig. 2 represents a view in elevation of the inner or stubble side of the same. partly in section, at the line a x, Fig. 2, showing the device for lockingthe joint at the heel of the finger-beam. Fig. 4 is a view of a part of the counter-shaft and crank-shaft detached; and Figs. 5 and 6 are views of the details of the pitman-box and connections.

Our invention relates to that class of hingejoint harvesters in which the tongue is rigidly secured to a main frame, carrying a seat for the driver, and mounted upon t-wo wheels, both of which act as drivers, while one end of the finger-beam is hinged to the rear end of a Supplementary frame hinged to the forward part ofthe main frame, and capable of rising and falling freely to conform to the undulations ot' the ground over which it is passing; and the improvement herein claimed consists, rst, in combining with the main frame balanced upon two supporting and driving wheels, and having a rigid tongue projecting from its forward end, and a drivers seat mounted upon the rear end, a supplementaryT fra-me hinged at its forward end to the main frame in advance ofthe main axle and in line with the counter-shaft, and having the cutting apparatus hinged to the rear end of the supplementary frame in such manner as to have both a rising and falling, and an axial movement independent of the main frame, substantially as hereinafter described 5 second, in combining with the su pplementary frame, hinged as described, a iinger-beam, pivoted at the heel of the shoe to the inner rear corner of the supplementary frame by a swiveling-joint, and at the front of the shoe to a pivoted coupling-arm passing over the supplementary frame and secured. to

Fig. 3 is a view,-

the outer side thereof, and a rocking-lever pivoted to the supplementary frame and coupling-arm to rock the fingerbeam axially; third, in a lever which serves both to lock the finger-beam and to raise it horizontally or parallel to the ground fourth, in combining with the hinged linger-beam, a rocking-lever to rock the beam axially, and a lifting and locking lever, which raises the beam horizontally; fifth, in a novel mode of connecting the finger-beam to the frame.

In the accompanying drawings a stout rectangular main frame, A, is shown as supported upon two driving-wheels, B, mounted on a common axle, C. Atongue, D, is rigidly secured to and projects in front of the frame, while a seat, E, for the driver is mounted upon circular springs E on the rear o f the frame. This seat can be moved backward and forward on the bars e, being provided for this` 'purpose with horizontal slots through which a bar passes underneath the seat.

Internally geared spur-wheels F on the driving-wheels gear into spur-pinions G on a counters-haft, H, turning in brackets I underneath the main frame, and provided with the usual backing-ratchets g. A bevel-wheel, J, on the counter-shaft drives a corresponding pinion, K, on the crank-shaft L, (turning in bearings on the supplementary frame,) which drives the cutters by a crank and pitman in the usual Way. The bevelwheel J runs loosely on the shaft, and is thrown into and out ot gear by a sliding clutch,j, operated by a shifting-1ever,j. Y

Figs. 5 and 6 show the details of the pitman-box, which consists of two semi-cylindrical bearings orjournals,X, within which the crank-pin Z works. The boxes each have recesses x in whichr pivots fr on the pitman Y fit. The bifurcated ends of the pitman have screws out on them. Abar, y, is placed on them to form the bearing for the upper box, and is held down by nuts 1. A guard-plate, z, is placed over these nuts and held down by screw-nuts 2. By this mode of construction the pitman is free to traverse round the crankpin, or to turn axially to accommodate itself to the rising and falling and rolling motion of the linger-beam, and the nuts are prevented from being shaken loose by the vibration of the pitman.

The supplementary frame consists of two parallel. longitudinal side pieces, M M', connected by suitable cross-bars. The inner side piece M is longer than the other, and the two are connected by a curved metal brace or cross-piece, N, which lies upon and extends beyond the supplementary frame, and is bent down so as to form a lug, n, in which to pivot the hinge of the fingerbeam.. This piece N is formed with a flange, so as to embrace the end and top of the side piece M, to which it is firmly fastened, both by vertical and horizontal bolts, thus securing great rigidity, and preventing the rockin gA or twisting of the frame, the crosspiece N, the bar Q, and the shoe forming a triangular frame.

The linger-beam P is firmly secured at its inner end to a shoe, O, having upon it two lugs, o 0. y

A rod, n', is pivoted to play vertically in the rear lug o, while it has an axial rotation in the lug n, so as to allow the finger-beam to rise and fall at its outer end, and to rock axially to raise or lower the points ofthe guards, while it also rises and falls with the supple-` mentary frame.

A curved coupling-arm or brace, Q, is pivoted to the front lug o', curving over the supplementary frame, and pivoted to the outer beam M. A bifurcated bracket, R, is secured to the lower end of this coupling-arm. A locking-cam, r, Fig. 3, plays in this bracket, and

is connected by a cord or chain, r', with alocking-lever, S, on the main frame, the chain passing over a crescent-shaped cam, s, pivoted to the frame by one horn, as shown in Fig. 2. When the toe of the locking-cam is depressed by raising lever S, it abuts against the heel of the finger-beam so as to prevent its divider end from falling below a horizontal lplane when the nger beam is raised from the ground.

The rear end of the lifting-lever T is pivoted in the lug a, and extends forward and upward above the main frame, within reach of the driver. The bracket R is pivoted to this lever, as well as to the coupling-arm Q, so that by raising or lowering the lever the points of the guardfinger are raised or lowered.

A spring-detent, t, and segment-rack U,

serve to hold the lever T in any position de sired.

As the machine advances (when in operation) the supplementary frame rises and falls to conform to the undulations of the ground over which the shoe o passes, while the divider end ofthe finger-beam is free to rise and fall above or below the plane of the shoe. The driver can raise or depress the points of the guards by means of lever T. When he lifts the finger-beam, by raising lever S, the cam Q" bears against the shoe and keeps the fingerbeam level while being raised by the lever. When the beam is raised toits greatest height the cam s is vertical, as shown in Fig. 2, and the strain being parallel with the lever, forms a self -locking device to hold the flngerbeam in its elevated position.

As the lug n and coupling-arm Q extend beyond and below the supplementary frame, while the lugs o o extend above the shoe, the finger-beam can easily be turned up so as to rest against the frame for transportation.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, as set forth, of the main frame, supplementary frame, and hinged and pivoted finger-beam, all constructed and arranged as described.

2. The combination of the supplementary frame, the hinged finger-beam, and the coup ling-arm, with the rockinglever, when arranged for joint operation, as described.

3. The combination of the shoe O, locking piece r, and crescent-cam s, with the lever S, all arranged as described, for the purposes bot-h of locking the finger-beam and lifting it longitudinally.

4. The combination, with the main and su pplementary frames, of the hinged finger-beam, the locking-lever, the coupling-bar Q, and the rocking-lever, all arranged and operating as described.

5. The combination ofthe cross-piece N, and coupling-bar Q, with the shoe O, constructed and arranged as described.

In testimony whereof vwe have hereunto subscribed our names.

, L. J. MCCORMIGK.

Witnesses: LAMBERT ERPELDING.

C. A. SPRING, Jr., J oHN CHURCH. 

